Well, you gave it a fair try, so I guess its not for you.
Another good introductory episode is Suited For Success, it’s a bit more adult and has a great musical number
COBRA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!
I don’t watch any children’s cartoons aside from MLP although now that you’ve mentioned GI Joe, I think I’ll rewatch the movie.
Part of why it’s so popular is because of just how surprisingg it is that such a good show was born of the (apparently) saccharin pap that were previous versions of MLP. I had never watched MLP before watching the new generation.
Think of it like a mix of the Disney movie The Lion King and the sitcom Community (with the unacceptable-for-children jokes taken out) in a way that’s kawaii and holds interest.
That was fully awesome.
Now I get it! It’s like the Powerpuff Girls!
Let me guess, you are a freelancer
I think it’s because you had the time and inclination to watch a pony show in the middle of the night on a week day.
I mean, I’ve heard that episode resonates with a lot of freelancers.
That’s how I feel. It’s not at all unusual to me that someone would like a cartoon (see any of my contributions to threads about Phineas and Ferb for proof of this). I just had no idea that this whole cultural phenomenon had grown around My Little Pony. It was the very first I’d heard of it and that’s what had me baffled. When did this happen? It’s almost like looking around one day and going, “Hey, what’s with all these fancy phones people have? I thought phones were for making calls!”
Well, on behalf of the adult contingent of MLP fans, I apologize for not keeping you updated on a regular basis regarding the community’s growth.
I never said it was anyone else’s fault that I didn’t know about it. Just that I didn’t know. Why are you reading negative judgment into my baffledness?
I was baffled too, and a quick perusal of the thread led me to believe it was some subversive, super-adult, pornographic/psychotic version of My Little Pony. Imagine my surprise to learn here in THIS thread that it’s actually something sweet!
I’ve recently allowed my 7-year-old to branch over into Cartoon Network from Disney/Nick/PBS and he’s hooked on all these weird shows with innocent-sounding names like Adventure Time with princesses and talking dogs. They all seem about the same: one level aimed at kids but with a jokey, “there’s more to it than this” undercurrent. Honestly I can barely focus on them because the animation is so repulsive.
Add me to the list of Ones Learning Something New here. Thank you.
You’re obviously not alone in your befuddlement.
The thread is so popular because it is a remarkably well-written cartoon; that is rare, and people have noticed it for that.
It is a children’s cartoon, but not dumbed down, so it can be enjoyable from an adult’s or child’s perspective.
There are people whose children watch it, and people without any children who watch it. (I watched one ep so I could understand who the little toys I’d gotten my niece were, and ended up watching them all).
It’s quite a few people making a lot of posts, I think.
I am utterly baffled that people find American Idol or X Factor or America’s Got Talent or whatever to be of any interest. But, knowing that they do find them of interest, I’m not surprised that they want to start (long) threads to discuss them (which I have no interest in reading). MLP:FiM, same deal I’d think.
MLP:FiM actually has surprisingly good animation… but probably not in a 7yo boy’s interest, unfortunately. (more due to his probable social expectations, than due to the content)
We all have our lines in the sand, those “uncanny chasms” where we can’t wrap our brains around some collection of data and accept what it is trying to present.
I have thoughtful literate friends who read deeply and just can’t wrap their brains around the possibility that a “comic book” like Watchmen can have “literary” value. I have friends who can’t imagine that some video games are not just “electronic crackpipes” but actually provide worthy benefit to the player.
While I love cartoons - enjoyed watching PowerPuff Girls and Dexter’s Lab as a parent hanging out with my kids - when I saw the first MLP thread, I immediately thought “WTF?!”
Now, while I clearly get the message that it apparently has qualities that translate to adult appeal, I still don’t see myself investing the time to try to get past my own chasm - and I get that it is my issue; I simply don’t have interest.
So yeah, I was baffled.
Well, I haven’t gone looking, but I’m sure Rule 34 is still in effect, and shippers are going to ship. That’s not the point of the fandom, though.
It’s a charming, rather intelligent show that manages to appeal to people far outside its target audience, while still being accessible to kids. It’s sweet without being saccharine, and it doesn’t treat children like idiots. The fact that all of this completely subverts expectations based on the horrible half-hour toy commercials of the 80s undoubtedly helps, too.
Yee-up. It’s not that it’s merely a good cartoon that’s given rise to the subculture, it’s that it’s also a non-cynical, good-hearted show, which is staggeringly novel to folks in their 20-30s.
And there’s the fact that it’s freaking My Little Pony that causes cognitive dissonance in the guys who like it, so they seek out others for reassurance that it’s not just them. 
But the community is friendly and I’ve met some nice folks through it.
From what I understand, it was created by basically the same team that did Powerpuff Girls, so the similarity is unsurprising.
I have watched it a few times with the Celtling. It’s not my cup of tea, but I do like the basic themes. It’s not about being pretty and waiting to be rescued; these girls kick behinds and live by a code. So I’m all for her watching it.